Giorgio Armani

Giorgio Armani

Giorgio Armani is a recognized fashion designer, known particularly for designing menswear. He established his company in 1975 had a personal net worth of $8.5 billion by 2013. Armani was born in Piacenza, a town in Northern Italy where he grew up with his siblings and parents. At first Armani desired a profession in medicine after he read The Citadel by A.J. Cronin and thus joined the University of Milan‘s Medicine Department. In 1953, he discontinued his studies and went to serve in the army. After the service was over, Armani aspired for a dissimilar career.

He started working at La Rinascente as a window dresser. Later he became the salesperson of men’s clothing department and gained experience in fashion industry’s marketing side. In the 1960s, he moved to Nino Cerruti to design menswear. His popularity grew and for the next decade he started doing freelance work. Around the same time, he met Sergio Galeotti who persuaded Armani to launch a design office in Corso Venezia, Milan. During this time, Arman extensively collaborated with various fashion houses, such as Tendresse, Montedoro, Sicons, Hilton, Bagutta, and Allegri. In 1975 when Armani realized that now he is ready, he founded his own company Giorgio Armani with Galeotti. Armani not only produced apparel for men but also for women. As of 1990, Armani owned 2,000 shops worldwide and his annual sales stood roughly at $2 billion. He expanded his business and began offering products and services related to book publishing and home furnishing/decoration. From 2010, he started taking interest in constructing hotels and the first one was opened in Dubai and then in Milan. In his career, Armani has tried to invest in everything in which he can utilize his design sense.

Unfortunately in 1985, Giorgio Armani suffered both professionally and personally when his friend and partner Galeotti died from AIDS. Despite this loss, Armani proved the world that he can run the business independently with qualities of a designer and executive.

Armani brought some major changes to the fashion industry, such  as banning models under the body mass index of 18. This action he took after Ana Carolina Reston starved her body to death because of anorexia nervosa. Moving on, the designer broadcasted his collection on the internet in 2007 via MSN and Cingular mobile phone. In addition to this, Samsung collaborated with Armani to produce Giorgio Armani phones. Furthermore, he has designed outfits for Lady Gaga.

He is wholeheartedly interested in sports, however designing always follows him. He is Olimpia Milano‘s president which is a team of basketball players, and he has also designed suits for the national football team of England. He has made outfits for flag bearers from Italy for 2006 Turin Winter Olympics. Additionally, Armani introduced an EA7 collection inspired by Andriy Shevchenko, a footballer from Ukraine. Moreover, Armani was commissioned by the Chelsea Football Club to design the lounge and dining room area where the Board of Directors conduct meetings.

Despite his success and the fact that some individuals compare him to Yves Saint Laurent and Coco Chanel – the designer keeps himself down to earth and has involved many of his family member into his business. His sister and nieces work for his company. He is described as Milan’s reigning eminence in his role as one of the most wise and presidential fashion designers in his 70s.